This invention relates to a pumping system for unstable fluids.
In the fiberglas reinforced products (FRP) and plastic industries, unstable fluids, which are highly volatile, are used with resins in manufacture of a variety of products. Typically the volatile fluid is a catalyst, such as MEKP (methyethyl ketone proxide) which is delivered from a spray gun with a resin for coating and manufacturing of fiberglas products. The use of spray guns and other such pouring or spraying equipment is for high-volume production techniques requiring a constant supply of large quantities of catalyst. Typically the catalyst is delivered under pressure from containers having quantities as large as five gallons. Because of the instability of catalysts, such large quantities under pressure can be extremely dangerous. Explosions and fires can result with such unstable fluids from shock, heat or friction.
An added danger is introduced by the necessity of transferring the volatile unstable catalyst from shipping containers to the pressure containers for delivery to the production systems. This can result in contamination as well as increase the danger of fire or explosion.
These problems can occur because of the necessity of carefully controlling the flow rate of the catalyst to the delivery or spray system. The catalyst must be delivered in carefully controlled amounts for correct mixture with other components, such as resin; thus large quantities of catalyst contained in a pressure vessel, providing a continuous metered flow, are necessary.